Written Answers Nos. 352-375
353. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Health if her attention has been drawn to the specific concerns related to the poor mental health reported by a significant proportion of family carers; if she will examine existing mental health supports for this cohort; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36747/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraFamily carers are key enablers for Government policy to support people to live with dignity and independence in homes and communities of their choosing for as long as possible by providing vital care to some of our most vulnerable citizens. As Minister for Health, I recognise the essential role that family carers play in the provision of care in Ireland. Every day, family carers through their selfless hard work, knowledge and compassion enhance the quality of life of their loved ones. This commitment can have a negative impact on the mental health of some family carers, which is why my Department will deliver over the lifetime of the Government on the Programme for Government 2025 commitments to assist family carers in their caring role by:
• Progressively increasing funding for respite services, including the Home Support Emergency Respite Scheme.
• Increase support for carers – providing training, establishing clearer pathways to services, and improving access to respite.
• Fully fund the Carer’s Guarantee.
Government policy on family carers is set out in the National Carer’s Strategy which provides the strategic direction for future policies, services and supports provided by Government departments and agencies for carers. The Strategy is designed around a core vision which recognises and respects carers as key care partners who are supported to maintain their own health and well-being, care with confidence and participate as fully as possible in economic and social life. Oversight of the Strategy is led by my Department , with individual Government departments leading on action areas that fall within their remit.
National Goal 2 of the Strategy is to “support carers to manage their physical, mental and emotional health and well-being”. A number of actions have been implemented to deliver on this goal.
Carer’s Guarantee
Since Budget 2021, recurring funding of €2m has been allocated towards the Carer’s Guarantee, to provide a core basket of services to carers across the country, regardless of where they live. €0.6m in additional funding has been provided in Budget 2025, bringing total funding for the Carer's Guarantee to €2.6m.
This funding helps to provide a more standard package of supports to family carers in every region, in tandem with the community and voluntary sector. From 2025, €2.44 million of this funding will be provided to Family Carers Ireland (FCI) to deliver a mix of community and individual supports across five areas of activity: psychosocial supports community carer supports; intensive and emergency supports; education and training; and FCI’s freephone careline. €160,000 is supporting the development and delivery of online supports for over 10,000 family carers through Care Alliance Ireland by means of an online support group.
Respite
Respite care is a vital part of the toolkit to support family carers. Respite care may involve providing alternative family or residential care for inter alia older people and people with physical and intellectual disabilities to enable the carer to take a short break, a holiday or a rest.
Respite may be provided in the community within the person’s own home, in HSE residential care settings, by agreement with voluntary organisations or by contracted private facilities. It may involve day or overnight respite.
From 2021-2023, a Family Carers Needs Assessment was piloted in Community Healthcare West to test the implementation of the interRAI Family Carer Needs Assessment (FCNA). The pilot examined the role of the family carer, how caring affects them, and how much care they can realistically provide while still allowing for involvement in other activities. The FCNA identified the types of support family carers need to support them in their caring role and how these can be met. It also identified barriers to providing support including family carers not self-identifying as a family carer and a focus of health and social care professional on the person in receipt of care to the detriment of the family carer.
This pilot is part of a larger ongoing international study of the interRAI FCNA. The project’s final evaluation report was published in March 2024. While awaiting the final results of the international study, the HSE and the Department of Health are considering what next steps may be required to further support family carers.
Home Support Emergency Respite Scheme
The ‘Home Support Emergency Respite Scheme’ (Scheme) commenced on the 1st of June 2021. Emergency respite services are defined as substituting for the family carer, either by placement of an in-home care worker or the temporary placement of the care recipient outside the home to deal with emergency situations such as:
• Actual or imminent carer burnout;
• Family crisis such as death or illness of a close relative, relief for families in end-of-life situations;
• Necessary medical appointments and hospital admissions;
• Crisis healthcare (physical, psychological or emotional);
• Unexpected care transitions e.g. new employment or living arrangements.
Funding was allocated by the HSE to Family Carers Ireland (FCI) in 2023, 2024 and 2025 to deliver the Scheme and provide 27,000 hours of respite per year.
GP Visit Cards for Carers in receipt of Carer’s Allowance
Since September 2018, individuals in receipt of either a full or half-rate Carer's Allowance or Carer's Benefit are automatically eligible for a GP visit card. On foot of this measure, as of 1 June 2025, 7,920 people in receipt of either full or half-rate Carer's Allowance or Carer's Benefit have gained GP Visit Card eligibility. It should be noted that many carers may have already held a medical card or GP visit card prior to this welcome policy change.
A range of other measures have been introduced in recent years to expand access to GP Care including the automatic awarding of a GP visit card to all persons over 70 in 2015 and increase to GP Visit Card income thresholds in 2019. In addition, under the GP Agreement 2023, GP visit card means-tested eligibility was fully expanded, as per that Agreement, to all those who earn up to the median household income from November 2023 (having commenced in September 2023). Approximately 430,000 people under the means-tested expansion were estimated to be eligible under this expansion.” Altogether, as at 1 June 2025, more than 2.3 million people or 42.8% of the population currently have access to free GP care through either a medical or GP visit card.
Women’s Health Fund Project on Midlife and Older Women Family Carers
Funding of €250,000 has been approved under the Women’s Health Fund for a project to support midlife and older women family carers. The project aims to research the impact of the gendered nature of family caring on midlife and older women’s health and wellbeing and to develop effective responses to support women carers. The project will be undertaken by Family Carers Ireland with oversight by the Department of Health.
This project will deliver an evidence base for women’s health issues associated with caring into middle and older age by assessing the effectiveness of available supports and a report will be produced on the effectiveness of available supports for sustaining caring into later life.
354. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health to examine an urgent matter in respect of a Kerry patient (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36776/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
355. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will receive an appointment for cataract surgery; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36778/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
356. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Health when HSE staff (details supplied) can expect to be contacted by the HSE regarding their future in the organisation as a result of recent changes; if they will be offered new positions within the HSE; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36779/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
357. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health if she will urgently intervene in the case of a person (details supplied) who is suffering from severe arthritis and is in urgent need of a hip operation; if she will ensure this case is prioritised as a matter of urgency and that the necessary surgical intervention is expedited; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36807/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
358. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Health the steps being taken by her Department to address wait times in a hospital (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36811/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
359. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of extending free GP care to all children under 12 years in 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36827/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraGP visit card eligibility was expanded in 2023 to all children under 8 years of age and to all those earning up to the median household income. The Programme for Government includes a commitment to 'expand free GP services to children up to at least 12 years, and keep its further extension under review'.
As set out in the Programme for Government, it is our intention within the life-time of this Government to expand GP care without charges to all children up to the age of at least 12 years. This will be done in a planned way, in cooperation with GPs to ensure that there is adequate capacity in place, and through the further expansion of GP visit card eligibility.
Extending GP visit card eligibility to all children aged 8 to 12 years inclusive in 2026 would grant eligibility to approximately 200,000 additional children (based on current card holder numbers and 2026 CSO population projections). Based on average GMS GP costs per card holder for 2024, the additional cost of extending GP care without charges at current capitation rates to all children aged 8 to 12 years in 2026 is estimated at approximately €30 million per annum. This is based on full GP visit card uptake.
360. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of reducing all prescription charges to €0.50, with a cap of €5 per month; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36828/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe estimated full-year cost of reducing all prescription charges to €0.50, with a cap of €5 per month is €38.9m.
This costing does not take account of changes in demographics, in eligibility (e.g., changes in the number of medical card holders), or how the removal of prescription charges may impact claimant behaviour.
361. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of reducing the drugs payment scheme maximum payment to €60 per month; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36829/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Drugs Payment Scheme (DPS) provides for the refund of the amount by which expenditure on approved prescribed medicines or medical and surgical appliances exceeds a named threshold in any calendar month. The DPS is not means tested and is available to anyone ordinarily resident in Ireland. Currently, no individual or family pays more than €80 a month towards the cost of approved prescribed medicines.
The additional minimum cost of reducing the DPS threshold to €60 per month is estimated to be €45.6m.
This estimation, based on data as reported by the Primary Care Reimbursement Service for May 2025, does not take account of changes in demographics, in eligibility (e.g., changes in the number of medical card holders), or in claimant behaviour arising from a reduction in the DPS threshold.
362. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 226 of 25 June 2025, the reason a technical amendment is required to the Patient Safety (Notifiable Incidents and Open Disclosure) Act 2023 to provide HIQA with the power to carry out an independent review of a defined type of serious patient safety incident in a nursing home; the means by which she intends to bring forward this amendment; the timeline for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36830/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Patient Safety (Notifiable Incidents and Open Disclosure) Act 2023 was signed into law on 2 May 2023 and commenced on 26 September 2024 (other than Section 68). It provides a legislative framework for a number of important patient safety issues, including the mandatory open disclosure of a list of specified serious patient safety incidents that must be disclosed to the patient and/or their family, and the expansion of HIQA’s remit into private hospital services.
Alongside a number of other provisions, the Patient Safety (Notifiable Incidents and Open Disclosure) Act 2023 amends the Health Act 2007 to extend the powers of HIQA. Section 68 provides that a new Section be inserted into the Health Act 2007 to provide the Chief Inspector with a discretionary power to carry out an independent review of a defined type of a serious patient safety incident where some or all of the care of a patient was carried out in a nursing home.
The Chief Inspector will have the power to carry out a review of an incident which may have caused an unintended or unanticipated death or serious injury to the patient, and which occurred in the course of the provision of care to that patient. The Chief Inspector’s review will seek to establish the facts and provide answers to a resident and their family concerning the serious patient safety incident, identifying any learning for the service to allow action to be taken to reduce risk and improve quality and safety in the service going forward. A review may be instigated by the Chief Inspector through the performance of his or her function or upon receipt of a complaint by certain defined persons, to include the resident and relevant family members.
This provision will not replace the responsibility of nursing homes’ services to address concerns. However, it will support patients and their families when something goes seriously wrong with the care they received in a nursing home and will ensure that appropriate external processes are in place to review serious patient safety incidents.
A query was raised as to whether the provisions of Section 68, as it currently stood, included public nursing homes. It is essential that public nursing homes are included, and this was considered by the DOH Legal Department and OPC. Advisory Counsel in the Office of the Attorney General has advised that an amendment will be required to ensure that public nursing homes are also covered by Section 68.
This is a minor technical amendment and the NPSO is currently in the process of seeking a legislative vehicle in which to include this amendment so that it can be commenced at the earliest possible date.
363. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health if funding will be provided for a 20-bed inpatient neuro-rehabilitation unit for the HSE south west region; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36831/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
364. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 319 of 26 February 2025, if she will commit to investigating the delays in accessing home care in Cork (details supplied); if she will develop an action plan to reduce waiting lists and waiting times in Cork and the south west; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36832/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
365. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health if the new national drugs strategy will include a comprehensive policy on tackling alcohol consumption; if this will be prioritised; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36837/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Health is developing a successor national drugs strategy. In line with the existing strategy, the successor strategy will address cross sectoral issues including the provision of treatment services for problematic drug and alcohol use & the development of initiatives to prevent drug and alcohol use.
It is my ambition that the new national drugs strategy will strengthen the health-led approach to drug use by addressing the health and social needs of people use drugs, reducing the harms associated with drug use, and supporting recovery from drug addiction.
366. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health to urgently investigate delay in a hospital appointment for a person (details supplied) who is awaiting a neurosurgery appointment in CUH; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36848/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
367. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on the Programme for Government commitment to expand access to the orthodontic scheme for children and strengthen the School Dental Programme. [36859/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAt present, the HSE Oral Healthcare Service aims to provide an oral examination and necessary treatment for children at up to three intervals, targeting ages approximating to second and sixth class and, in some cases, fourth class. Emergency care is provided for children of all ages up to 16.
The current child oral health examination programme delivered by HSE clinics has been impacted by capacity challenges in recent years. The HSE is working to support access to this current model of care, while substantive service reform proceeds through implementation of the National Oral Health Policy (NOHP). There are currently 34.7 whole-time equivalent posts vacant across the oral healthcare grades in the HSE, which the HSE is working to fill. In Budget 2025, an additional €2m in funding, increasing to €4m in 2026, was provided to continue implementation of the NOHP and support recruitment of 15 additional HSE oral healthcare staff nationally to deliver oral healthcare in our community, including supporting children to access the current primary school programme of routine check-ups.
The HSE provides orthodontic treatment to those who have the greatest level of need and have been assessed and referred for treatment before their 16th birthday. Referrals for HSE orthodontic assessment are made at the sixth-class oral health assessment appointment, if the dentist determines that the child may meet the HSE's criteria. Children whose treatment need is assessed by a HSE orthodontist as being in Grade 4 or Grade 5 of the Index are offered treatment through the HSE. No medical card is required for this treatment.
There has been significant investment of €17m between 2022 and 2024 to support access to children’s orthodontic treatment. This funding has seen the creation of a new initiative supporting access to jaw surgery for orthodontic patients and the transfer of over 4000 patients into private, community-based orthodontic treatment. These successful initiatives are being continued this year through the provision of €2.85 million in funding nationally. Through this initiative, in 2025, 128 patients have been transferred to private orthodontic care and 33 patients have received jaw surgery as part of their orthodontic treatment.
In the longer-term, the NOHP sets out a complete transformation of oral healthcare services and expansion of the care available for both children and adults. Under the new model of care which is in development by the HSE, families will be able to access free, age-appropriate oral healthcare for their children, at a dental practice of their choosing in their local community which holds a contract with the HSE. Children will be able to attend for care starting from birth and continuing regularly throughout their childhood. This will mirror how families currently access free GP care for their children.
An implementation plan for the first phase of policy implementation to end-2027 is being finalised and contains development of new services for children and for adults as among the initial priorities.
368. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on the Programme for Government commitment to hire more public dentists and to indicate the number of public dentists currently employed by the State. [36860/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government is committed to hiring more public dentists, and funding was allocated in Budget 2025 to support the recruitment of 15 additional oral healthcare WTEs in the HSE. This investment is providing an additional 15 HSE dental staff across dentists and dental nurses to deliver oral healthcare in the community, including the primary school oral health examination programme for children. Further, the HSE has sanctioned filling 34.7 existing WTE vacancies in the Oral Healthcare Service and have advised that the recruitment process has commenced.
There are currently 289 WTE dentists in the HSE's Oral Healthcare Service, across the various grades of dentist.
There are now more dentists than ever registered in Ireland - with 3,888 dentists on the Dental Council register as of June 2025. This reflects ongoing upward trends regarding registered dentists in the State, and compares favourably with the numbers in April 2019, when Smile agus Sláinte was published – 3,100, an increase of over 25%.
This Government is firmly committed to ensuring that our healthcare system is supported by a steady and sustainable pipeline of highly skilled graduates —including in critical areas such as oral healthcare and dentistry. Ensuring adequate capacity to train future dentists is part of our broader commitment to workforce planning that supports the health and wellbeing of our population.
369. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Health for an update on the implementation of the Men's Health Action Plan 2024-2028; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36861/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware, the National Men’s Health Action Plan was launched on November 18th, 2024. The plan aligns with Sláintecare and the Healthy Ireland Strategic Action Plan and is supported by a range of HSE functions and partner agencies. The plan contains a number of actions which are targeted at specific population groups of men as means of engaging them in initiatives that seek to address individual lifestyle and health behaviour change. In addition, the plan acknowledges the important role that systemic and structural factors play in shaping men’s health outcomes.
To support the implementation of the actions contained within, the HSE received approx. €100,000 in Budget 2025 to recruit a National Lead for Men’s Health and a further €100,000 to support programme development. The recruitment process to appoint the National Lead for Men’s Health is currently underway and is expected to be finalised over the coming period. Further, the HSE have an additional €400k in base funding that is utilised to support the ongoing work in relation to Men’s Health and drive the implementation of the Men’s Health Action plan.
370. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Health for an update on the new national sexual health strategy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36862/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraSexual health is a priority for this Government. The National Sexual Health Strategy, 2025-2035 and the first National Sexual Health Action Plan, 2025-2028 were approved by Government on the 10th of June, 2025 and published on 25th June, 2025.
The drafting process for the National Sexual Health Strategy, 2025-2035, commenced in 2023, following a review of the previous Strategy. The Drafting Committee included policy, service delivery and clinical experts, working within the Department and HSE, and the Strategy underwent an additional round of stakeholder consultation and feedback, completed in mid-2024. Feedback and input was also sought from other key partners across Government.
It was decided that the Strategy should be launched under the new Government in order to incorporate priorities from the Programme for Government, Securing Ireland’s Future, 2025. The Strategy is supported by the National Sexual Health Action Plan, 2025-2028, that maps out implementation plans for the first 3 years of its term. The Action Plan is included in the Strategy document: both are currently available on the Healthy Ireland website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/healthy-ireland/policy-information/national-sexual-health-strategy-2025-2035/
Service improvements detailed in the Strategy have been ongoing while it was being finalised; an additional €1.35m has been allocated to free home STI testing, HIV Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) and the free contraception scheme in 2025. The first meeting of the Implementation Group was held on 24th June and the initial focus will be on setting up governance structures and partnerships.
The Press Release for the Strategy can be accessed here: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-health/press-releases/ministers-for-health-publish-the-national-sexual-health-strategy-2025-2035/
371. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on the planned skin cancer awareness programme. [36863/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn terms of the commitment in the Programme for Government which states "Develop a skin cancer awareness campaign" this is currently being addressed through Action 1.4 in the National Skin Cancer Prevention Plan 2023-2026, with the development of the SunSmart campaign by the National Cancer Control Programme in the HSE, and Healthy Ireland.
This campaign has been running since 2021, and promotes targeted key messages to vulnerable groups, such as parents of young children, adolescents, outdoor workers, those who pursue outdoor sport and leisure activities, and sunbed users.
In advance of the conclusion of the current National Skin Cancer Prevention Plan, the Department will also consider the development of a successor and how this will be used to incorporate the commitments in the Programme for Government.
372. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health the progress to date in recruiting therapists (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36898/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
373. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if a child (details supplied) can be provided with orthodontic treatment by the HSE as soon as possible; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36904/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
374. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health if there are plans to change the existing electronic care note system in Donegal community hospitals; the type, and timeframe to implement a new system; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36906/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
375. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health for an update on the elective hospital. [36925/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have asked the HSE, as Sponsoring Agency with day-to-day responsibility for the delivery of the elective hospitals to respond to you directly in relation to the matters raised.
